Pattern sprinkler



/ E L521 L179 INVENTOR. rc az A! Azzzez W 4 Sheets-Sheet l IITIHHIIHIHIIH J H azg R. N. RIBLET PATTERN SPRINKLER lllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIH June 24, 1952 Flled June 28 1950 June 24, 1952 R. N. RIBLET 2,601,559

PATTERN SPRINKLER Filed June 28, 1950 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J 1952 R. N. RIBLET 2,601,559

PATTERN SPRINKLER I Filed June 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

BY 22 A! way Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PATTERN SPRINKLER Royal N. Riblet, Spokane, Wash.

Application June 28, 1950, Serial No. 170,909

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in pattern sprinklers.

It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide a sprinkling device which can be made to distribute water evenly over an area that is normally circular, such as a square area, from a rotating sprinkler head, which sprinkler being of such construction that it delivers water in proportion to the area to be covered.

It is of course, old in the art to provide sprinklers which will cover a square area. Such devices however, have not come into common use despite the obvious advantages that would appear to float from their use. In irrigating large tracts of land by means of sprinklers, one of the greatest difficulties arises from the fact that rotating sprinklers covering circular areas require overlapping of the sprinkled areas to obtain complete coverage. The overlapped areas receive too much water if the other areas receive enough. If the areas can be rectangular or preferably square with uniform water distribution, the overlapping is unnecessary. Fewer sprinklers are needed and the water coverage is more uniform.

In sprinkling a non-circular area, it is obvious that the portions of the area extending farthest from the sprinkling center must have a greater volume of water if a rotating sprinkler is used and it rotates at a uniform rate of speed. According to my invention I provide a simple, efficient rotating sprinkler with means for causing the throw from the sprinkler head to vary between minimum and maximum distances and vary the amount of water delivered so that the greater area covered with the greater distance of throw receives a proportionately greater amount of water.

More particularly it is a purpose of my invention to provide a rotating type of sprinkler with a novel driving mechanism by which the spray nozzle is rotated at a substantially constant rate of speed and the spray nozzle is elevated and lowered according to a cam and roller pattern wherein the flow of water to the spray nozzle is increased and decreased as the nozzle is raised and lowered, the flow to the driving mechanism being substantially constant.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the invention except as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved sprinkler with the housing therefor shown in section;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the sprinkler with the housing broken away;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan section illustrating a modified construction;

Figure 7 is a section view on the line 7-4 0 Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a View in side elevation of a preferred form of the nozzle; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged end view of the nozzle showing the construction of the outlet end thereof.

Referring now in particular to Figures 1, 2 and 3, my improved sprinkler is adapted to mount upon a suitable support In having an upright standard II which may have a suitable inlet, not shown, for the supply of water. The standard II has a nipple I2 which is threaded to receive a hollow supporting member I3 for the sprinkler mechanism. The support member l3 has a sleeve I4 rotatably journalled therein. The sleeve I4 carries the rotating parts of the sprinkler and control means for the flow of water to the sprinkler nozzle. The sleeve M has an enlarged head I5 which bears against the lower end of the supporting member I3. The upper end of the sleeve I4 is threaded to receive a valve body I6. When the sprinkler is at rest the valve body I6 rests upon the upper end of the member I3, however, when Water pressure is applied, the pressure will tend to raise the valve body It and the sleeve I4 to cause the head I5 to bear against the lower end of the member I3. With a good bearing fit between the member I3 and the sleeve I4, I find no difiiculty with leakage of water past the long bearing surface provided by these two members.

In order to rotate the valve body It, I provide a water wheel I I by mounting a bracket I8 on the upper end of the valve body and mounting a worm shaft I9 on the bracket I8. Two bearing blocks 20 and 2| support the shaft I9. A worm 22 is keyed to the shaft I9 and is positioned between two collars 23 and 24 which prevent endwise movement of the worm. The water wheel I! is on the end of the shaft I9 and is supplied cam is, the vaive as 'is turae I 3 with water through the sleeve l4 and through the valve body [6 by a pipe elbow 25, a short length of pipe 26 and a nozzle 21.

The worm 22 drives a worm gear 23 which is fixed on an upright shaft 29 that is journalled in the bracket l8. The shaft 29 extends down through a guide stem 30 and is provided at its lower end with a pinion 3| that meshes with a large gear 32. The gear 32 has a hub 33 that is fixed to'th'e member 13 by a set screw' 34. The gear 32, being fixed on the member [3 remains stationary. The pinion 3| travels around the gear 32 causing rotation of the bracket 18, the

parts carried thereby, the valve body Wand" the parts carried thereby. The worm 22, the Worm gear 28, the pinion 3| and the gear 32 provide means for causing a slow rotationof'the; valve body l6 for a relatively high speed rotation of the water wheel I'I. Very little force is" necessary to drive the wheel 11. The sprinkler, therefore, can operate on a low" water pressure.

The valve body l6 has a valve 36 .-thereinprovidedwith a port 31 and attend cameras; The valve 36 is journalled for rotation in the valve body'lB. At one end a washer 39 and a-n'utF it are provided on the valve 36 At the other end of the valve I'B a cam follower'rnounting bracket 4| is fixed on the valve by a. set screw 421 A bushing 43 is interposed between the valve bddy l6 and the bracket 41. A 'spra'y nozzle is'connected to the outlet opening si ty an elbow 45 which is threaded intoth'e outlet opening 3 8 A lock nut 46' on the elbow 45 prevents" the elbow from working worse.

The bracket-4 l car'ries' a cam follower roller- 41 that rides on the surface of an annular cam-Ia. The cam 48is' mountedon thegear 32. since the roller 41 is secured on the bracket M the bracket 4| will rock-the valve 3B'tas the roller rises and falls in its travel along thetop=edge Of the cam e 48. The spray nozzle 44 and the bracket 41' are adjusted on the valve- '36 in the properrelation to the port 31 or the valve te -have the nozzle 44 at its maximum levatioit=ahd the verve port 3! open to the greatest-- extent when" the roller 41 is on the lowest' p'art" of thpam fl. The ome -4'4 discharges' in -Si1Ch-- a direction thatthe back pressure'serVeS-t'o' hold 't'l ie 'll'erfi 'l on the cam 48. Asthe rolleifll is r'a'ised' ravnng oVei 'the in a direction-{to decrease the port areaby covering part ofthe port 31 by" the vawe bouywallat I 6 a. The nozzle is lowered at the same time The" cam- 48'; as shown, is cut to cause the nozzle to direct spray over asquar'e area. The spray is directedtothe corners or the square when the roller isat the lowest spots ori the cam. The" greatest- Water fiawalso occursa-t these positions of the-roller because the port 3 1 is mostnearly' open; obvibuny'by ch'arfg'ing the surface of the camlfl-"a dnreientsha ea pattern of spraying will be produced.

In order to protectthe mechanism" or the sprinkler Iprovide housin-gifli The housihg-is secured on the'valve body 'Hiby a stem 43L The stem 49 is threaded into the upper end of the valve body. The housing is ciampea wthe 's'tem by two nuts 51' and SZ-"and a Washer53k 'I'l-ie bottom of the'hou'sing is -closed by aseparable plate 54 that has acentra'lguide'ring' 55 around the pipe [3. The hoi1sing-.fits over'the 'flange fit of the plate and-may be secured thereto by screws. Openingsar provided'at 'Sl 'an'd'58 for the spray from the-'nozzles 4'4 and 21 The plate l 54 has drain openings" 59 therein;

The nozzle 44 preferably has its outlet shaped as indicated in Figure 9. This forms a large main aperture 60 and a depending slot 6| gives a fan like spray that distributes the Water quite evenly over the distance the stream reaches. In some instances it is advantageous to provide two branches 44a and 44b of the nozzle as indicated in Figure 8. The branches are set at different angles to the supply pipe 440, so the upper branch spray'sthe outer portion and the" lower nozzle sprays the innerportion of the area covered.

The modification illustrated in Figures 6 and '7 operates in the same fashion as the preferred form, The only difierence is that the cam 48' is fiat topped but square and the roller 41' is coneshaped so" that the radial distance from the center of rotation varies about the cam and the cone roller 41' causes the bracket 41 to move up and down.

The sprinkler mechanism described herein is highly advantageousin sprinkler irrigationsystems where portable pipe systems are-employed to sprinkle areas of large extent. These systems usually employ a series of sprinklers on-a= long supply pipe that extendaacrossthe field.; The pipe is moved transversely of its length-after an areahas' been' sprinkled; 'With' the sprinklers that cover a circular area,- the s-prinkler heads must be spaced to overlap the circles enough to equalthedifference between the area diameter andtheside dimension of the largest square that can beformed inside thecircular area. Otherwisepatches are leftw-ithout any Water; The overlapped portions-get too much water. 7

With "my improved sprinkler the sprinkler heads canbe placedfar--apart-because= the amount of overlapping-is'notnece'ssary. The area-c0yerecl crosswise-oithe mainsupplypipe--is-also greater because there is no necessityaof' overlappinginthis direction.- In-addition the-devic'e-has theadvantag-e of a-voiding 'over watering any particular section.

I- amof course, aware that square sprinklers have been proposed and devised purporting to sprinkle square areas and have been patented. In spite of r the apparent-obvious" advantages of such-devicespthey have not comewingeneral use where agreat amount-"of irrigation is carried on by sprinklinga Themechanism of my improved sprinkler hasoperatedsuccessfully in fieldtests. The method of driving the: sprinkler'insur'es a uniform rotational speed' so-that-the variation" in water flow by opening-and closing the valve to the sprinkler head is quiteeffective in" obtaining uniformity o-f-waterdistribution over the area. It-w-ill beapprecia-ted' that by having t-he water How to the driving water wheel directly in corrrmunication with the supply to' t-he valve-and to the-sprinklenthe opening of the'valve; when the sprinkler .is at its greatest "elevation, operates to retard the speed of rotation by lowering the pres surein the'supply Inthis way: it' is possible to obtainia su ffioientsupply of water intothe corners of the square to wet-thegrdund as much as it" is' wet" along the sides or the-square where a water wheel, a worm, a shaft for the wheel and worm rotatably mounted on the bracket, a worm gear meshing with the worm, a shaft for the worm gear rotatably mounted by said bracket, a pinion on said last named shaft in mesh with the large gear on the supporting member, a nozzle positioned to direct water against the water wheel to rotate it, pipe means connecting the nozzle to the valve body, a tubular valve rotatably mounted in said body above the connection for said nozzle, said valve having an inlet port in its wall in position to admit more or less water from the valve body to the interior of the valve as the valve is turned on its axis, said valve having an end outlet, a spray nozzle fixed to the valve at said end outlet and extending upwardly and then laterally with respect to the axis of rotation of the valve, a cam follower bracket fixed to said valve, an annular cam on said large gear, and a cam follower roller on the bracket riding on the cam to move the bracket up and down as the roller is raised and lowered in rolling over said cam.

2. In a sprinkler, a hollow upright supporting member for connection to a source of water under pressure, a valve body rotatably mounted by the supporting member to rotate on a vertical axis and having its inlet open to the interior of said member, a tubular valve extending through the body on a horizontal axis and rotatably mounted in the body, said valve having an inlet port in the side wall thereof opening more or less to the interior of the valve body as the valve is rotated on its axis, said valve having an end outlet, a spray nozzle, carried by said valve and connected to said outlet, said nozzle being directed in a plane transverse to the axis of the valve, means to rotate said valve body on the member, and means, operable as the valve body rotates, to rock the valve on its axis.

3. A sprinkler comprising a. hollow upright supporting member, a large gear fixed to the top thereof, a, sleeve rotatably mounted in the member and open at both ends so that water under pressure may flow up through said member and sleeve, a valve body carried by said sleeve, a water wheel carried by said body, a nozzle for directing water to the wheel in communication with the interior of said body, means operably connecting the water wheel to said large gear to effect rotation of the valve body and sleeve, a housing carried by the valve body and enclosing the valve body, the gearing and the large gear, a tubular valve rotatable in said body on a horizontal axis and having a port open' to the body and an end outlet, a spray nozzle carried by the valve and offset therefrom and communicating with the end outlet, said housing having an aperture for the spray nozzle to discharge water through, a cam on the large gear, and an arm on the valve having a cam follower riding on the cam to rock the valve in said body as the body rotates.

4. A sprinkler for sprinkling non-circular areas comprising a hollow upright supporting member, a large gear fixed to the top thereof, a valve body rotatably supported by the member to rotate about an upright axis, a water wheel carried by said valve body, a nozzle for directing water to the wheel in communication with the interior of said body, means operably connecting the water wheel to said large gear to effect rotation of the valve body and sleeve, a housing carried by the valve body and enclosing the valve body, the gearing and the large gear, a tubular valve rotatable in said body on a horizontal axis and having a port open to the body and an end outlet, a spray nozzle carried by the valve and offset therefrom and communicating with the end outlet, said housing having an aperture for the spray nozzle to discharge water through, a cam on the large gear, and an arm on the valve having a cam follower riding on the cam to rock the valve in said body as the body rotates.

5. A sprinkler for sprinkling non-circular areas comprising a hollow upright supporting member, a large gear fixed to the top thereof, a valve body rotatably supported by the member to rotate about an upright axis, a water wheel carried by said valve body, a nozzle for directing water to the wheel in communication with the interior of said body, means operably connecting the water wheel to said large gear to effect rotation of the valve body and sleeve, a housing carried by the valve body and enclosing the valve body, the gearing and the large gear, a tubular valve rotatable in said body on a horizontal axis and having a port open to the body and an end outlet, a spray nozzle carried by the valve and offset therefrom and communicating with the end outlet, said housing having an aperture for the spray nozzle to discharge water through, a square cam on the large gear, and an arm on the valve having a cone shaped cam follower riding on the cam to rock the valve in said body as the body rotates.

ROYAL N. RIBLEI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,637,413 Elder Aug. 2, 1927 2,475,537 Ashworth July 5, 1949 

